Report: Doug Harris could be a front-runner for Milwaukee GM job

There appears to be some Nationals-related buzz brewing in Milwaukee, where there is a vacancy for the Brewers' general manager position.

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote Sunday that Nationals assistant general manager and vice president of player development and pro scouting Doug Harris is a front-runner for the vacancy created when Doug Melvin stepped down after 13 seasons earlier this month.

"(Harris) could emerge as the front-runner for the GM job in Milwaukee," Cafardo wrote. "Harris is a longtime scouting and development director who embraces both analytics and traditional scouting, seemingly striking a healthy balance between the two. Harris has worked for Doug Melvin in Texas so Melvin, who recently stepped down as Brewers president and GM and is now a team adviser, may have a comfort level with him."

Harris, 45, has done an outstanding job organizing and cultivating the Nationals minor league system, and is a critical top lieutenant to general manager Mike Rizzo. It would make sense that these type of front office opportunities would come Harris' way and he is primed to take over an organization's top baseball operations position.

Before joining the Nationals in 2009, Harris spent a season as an advance scout for the Indians and 13 years with the Rangers in a variety of scouting capacities. He played seven seasons of minor league ball for the Royals, Orioles and Marlins organizations.

* Right-hander Lucas Giolito has been named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for Aug. 10-18. Giolito, who starts for Double-A Harrisburg, is the top Nationals prospect on MLB.com's Top 50 list.

In his only start of the week, Giolito (1-1) notched his first Double-A win, 2-0 over Bowie. He matched a career high with 11 strikeouts in seven innings, allowing one hit, no runs, one walk and one hit by pitch over 99 pitches, 63 for strikes. Giolito retired the final 17 batters he faced.

Single-A Potomac right-hander Reynaldo Lopez has been honored as the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for for Aug. 11-16.

Lopez (6-7) tossed seven shutout innings on Aug. 12 against Winston-Salem. He gave up only two hits, struck out a career-high 11 and walked none in an 8-2 win.